Goa's RP 2021 finally completed

PANAJI: The regional plan for the talukas of Bardez, Salcete, Mormugao and Tiswadi has been released as release III. With this, the Regional Plan 2021 for the state of Goa has finally been completed. Chief town planner S T Puttaraju informed mediapersons, "With release III, the process entrusted to us comes to an end."
Earlier, chief minister Digambar Kamat inaugurated the first e-kiosk at the TCP office in Panaji.The e-kiosk will display digitized maps of the Regional Plan 2021 thus enabling citizens to easily access the plan details for their area by selecting their respective villages and entering the survey number. The people-friendly e-kiosks- which cost 1.5 lakh each for hardware and software-will subsequently also be installed in all the talukas across the state, said Puttaraju.
Talking about the RP 2021, he said "We had a number of outline development plans (ODPs) and zonal plans that have been done away with and now, only one regional plan will be applicable for the entire state. However, the areas of Panaji, Taleigao, Mormugao, Ponda and Mapusa will continue under the ODP."
"The entire taluka of Salcete has come under VP2 status and development projects over 4000 sq m will have an FAR of 50," Puttaraju added. The taluka has also been allocated one eco-tourism site as it already has a number of coastal hotels.
Puttaraju also said that the state-level committee (SLC) has demarcated certain uncultivable CRZ areas for 'development' in RP 2021. This is subject to clearance from the agricultural department regarding unsuitability of the land for agriculture or cultivation.
On the issue of buffer zones around heritage areas, Puttaraju said the size of the zone varies for state and centrally designated zones.
When asked if mining leases were demarcated on the RP 2021, Puttaraju said, "Mining is not my subject. But of the 336 valid leases in the state, 117 working leases have been identified as mines."
On the buffer zone around wildlife sanctuaries, Puttaraju said, "The issue is before the Supreme Court. We have recommended a buffer zone of 1 km."